PRPD dispatcher and officer recognized with Distinguished Service Awards

Sarah Afana and Juan Valdez receive kudos for professionalism, dedication, and service to community

PASO ROBLES — Two valuable members of the Paso Robles Police Department received a Distinguished Service Award from California Central Coast Cops ‘N Kids (CCCCK). Dispatcher Sarah Afana and Officer Juan Valdez both received the awards based on their professionalism, dedication, and service to the community.

Annually, departments throughout the Central Coast rotate turns choosing members from their team to honor with the Distinguished Service Award. This year it was PRPD’s turn to recognize some of their own. 

CCCCK is a nonprofit whose mission is to nurture, support, provide assistance to, and enhance the relationship between local law enforcement, the youth, and their families within the Central Coast. They strive to foster positive relationships between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

Afana has worked for the department for 15 years and is one of its communications training officers (CTO) and tactical dispatcher for the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT team.

Support Services Manager Kate McKinley, who supervises dispatch and records at the department, knew immediately that she wanted to choose Afana for the award. 

“She is always willing to help her community,” said McKinley. “She’s very involved in all things in her community and all things within her department.”

Afana who grew up in North County, is ready to serve at any moment with her additional training as a dispatcher.

McKinley adds, “She’s just a great employee. She has a great personality. She is always happy and helpful. I mean, there’s so many wonderful things I can say about her. She’s just great all around.”

Afana is also known for being the designated office decorator, adding festivity to the workplace for all the holidays. Making the office festive is more than just decorations, says McKinley — being a dispatcher means being away from home for many holidays, working nights, and being away from family and the decorations are a small part of encouraging morale.

The department currently has nine dispatchers, and they are looking for two more to add to the team.

As dispatchers, McKinley says they have to be prepared to be calm and think fast, but also learn how to compartmentalize the more difficult calls. 

“It takes a certain kind of person to do this job,” she said. “It’s kind of hard to put it into words.” 

Valdez was the department’s other recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Though he has only been at the department for a few years, he has already made a lasting impact on the community. 

A social media posting for the department said of Valdez, “He is one of the most calm officers we know and will treat everyone with respect. His interview skills are commendable and last year, he received the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) award for his DUI proactivity.”

Valdez recently completed the DRE certification and is now a certified drug recognition expert for the State of California. 

You can learn more about the California Central Coast Cops ‘N Kids at cccck.org.

Feature Image: Paso Robles Police Dispatcher Sarah Afana (second from left) holds her Distinguished Service Award from California Central Coast Cops ‘N Kids (CCCCK). Shown with her are (from left) SLO County Sheriff’s Sgt. Retired Jeff Nichols, PRPD Support Services Manager Kate McKinley, and Cops ‘N Kids President Bruce Blair. Contributed Photo